The Rock and The Hard Place
by CATCFaddict
Summary: **Spoiler alert** After her last battle our Queen finds herself with a very tough decision the rock or the hard place
1. Chapter 1

_**NOTE:If you have not finished the game and don't want anything from it to be ruined..I would suggest you wait to read this, the very first part is a HUGE spoiler. **_

_**Now the idea's I have for this, I am very proud of, and this first chapter, is nothing. :)**_

_**I own nothing in this story, not the characters, the place, anything, only my creativity.**_

_**Hope you enjoy! Please R&R! oh and no I have not forgotten about my other story.**_

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_The queen dove to her mentor's side while trying to hold back tears, "I-I'm sorry!"  
Walter coughed and then proceeded to groan, "You took away the darkness. It's been inside of me all this time, but it's light now. I don't think I can fight any more._

_Shaking her head letting some tears escape her eyes, "It's all over Walter. We won, we beat it, together!"_

_Coughing again the man looked into the eyes of the woman who was holding him as his body began to shut down, "Do you remember the stories I'd tell you when you were a child? There was a great king once, the mightiest of them all. Remember what you would say?"_

_She nodded, "Teach me..to be a hero!"_

_Smiling despite his sudden coughing fit Walter responded, "You've done me proud, you've always done me proud."_

"_Walter!"_

_Then he let go, his body could no longer fight the pain he was in._

EmmaParmer, the queen of Albion woke very suddenly, to see a very concerned Elliot Moor's face staring at her, "Emma, are you alright. Did you have the dream about Walter again?" The young man gently took the hair from her sweating face, "You were screaming."

Sitting up Emma shook her head, "Yes, every single night! Why can't I shake the memory from my head, it haunts me day and night!"

Elliot stroked his girlfriends back, "It's going to be alright, you've just got a bunch of things on your mind right now, and it's hard for you to sort through. I know how hard everything has been on you, its all going to work out.

True, Elliot was trying to help, she could understand that, but he didn't understand all that she was going through she had lost someone whom to her felt like her father and felt like it was her fault.

"I should have fought off the crawler quicker back in Aurora, then maybe Walter could still be here, but it was to powerful. " Before he could speak to try and tell her why it wasn't her fault Emma held up a hand, "Elliot, you don't understand, it even had power over me, it made me feel weak, helpless, we were lucky to be alive then. It wouldn't have found his weakest spot in order to posses him if I had moved quicker."

"Emma! Stop that, it wasn't your fault! It was no one's fault! No one in your army could have prevented that from happening. No one could have known."

Standing up, the queen quickly found her slippers and sighed, "I know Elliot, this whole situation is complicated, things weren't supposed to be like this at all. I'm going to go clear my mind for a while. I will see you at breakfast dear."

Emma was much tougher then this mentally, physically, and emotionally, being on the road, fighting for justice in Albion taught her how to be just that. Ever since the darkness had possessed her mentor and very dear friend however, thing's affected her much differently. She still felt the evil's power over her, sure the kingdom and all of its cities were saved, but it still felt as if everything was dark and grey.

Shaking her head the young woman breathed a sigh of relief as the brisk Albion air hit her face, it was very refreshing after sweating like she had from the nightmare.

Sitting on a stone bench near the statue of Walter her mind began to wander until it rested on how all this began with Theresa, Sabine, Boulder, Major Swift and his group of soldier's, Page, and Kalin all of them helping her and Walter revolt against her very own brother.

Sabine and Boulder always had a way of making her smile somehow, perhaps it was the way Boulder and her dog got along so well, that had to be it.

Major Swift had welcomed her with open arms when they reached his camp, as did most of his crew like Jammy and Ben Finn.

Ben Finn, that was a name she hadn't thought of since the day he had left to go explore Albion, Emma had wished him well and then they had gone there separate ways though sometimes she caught herself wishing she had put more heart into her farewell. Not that any of this had mattered at all he was and always would be her friend in the end.

Then there was Page whose courage and determination to help Bowerstone Industrial was always something of an inspiration to the young woman. She would never forget the way her friend stood up to Reaver all the time.

Lastly was Kalin, a sweet woman who did nothing but care for others, which helped save Emma's life and spare Walters for a little while longer.

"_Taking a nap in the sun? Typical royalty."_

Where that memory had come from, Emma couldn't understand but hearing a bell coming from the kitchen didn't give her much time to think about it, she had promised Elliot breakfast and now it was time to go and eat it.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hope at least some people are enjoying this story, I know its slow for now. it will pick up soon, I promise! **_

_**R&R please! It makes me smile!**_

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Elliot was already sitting down and waiting for Emma by the time she entered the castle dinning room, "Sorry I left you like that, I just-I get so frustrated when that nightmare shows up, I can't handle it."

"Emma, its okay, I understand, you are going through a lot right now, I just wish I could help you out more is all. Are you at least feeling a little better now?"

"I guess so, what's for breakfast?"

With a concerned look Elliot motioned to the table while she sat down, "The usual, some eggs, bacon, pancakes, toast, and your favorite my darling, orange juice."

Leaning over the table to reach Elliot the queen gave her love a kiss on the lips, "Why how sweet, this breakfast looks delicious! Thank you love!"

Elliot was silent for a minute, calculating what he was about to say, "Hey Em?"

Having started working on her eggs she put her fork down, "Yes El?"

"You uhm-I-" He played with his collar a little.

"Elliot, what happened, do I need to go into Bowerstone to do some clean up, again?"

Her beloved shook his head, "No, its not you that has to go into town."

"No."

"Yes, I do have to but I promise it will only be for a few days, maybe a week, at the most."

Emma frowned, "You always need to go into the city to help out, why can't you just stay here with me for a few weeks? Just once, I hate having you here for one night, then having to say goodbye to you the very next day for who knows how long, I get so lonely here at the castle, at least you have friends and family that run the business, you can talk to them."

"Emma, I have no choice, I would love for you to come! The guys love having you as company, especially when we go to the bar after work huh?" He playfully nudged her and received a glare in return.

"Oh sweetheart, you know I would give anything to stay and spend some quality time with you, I hate being away, but I must go.

Sighing she finally agreed, "I'm really sorry El, I know, I don't mean to be some grouchy, mean, and angry, I just have a lot on my mind and I feel super stressed out with everything going on, I understand. Promise me you will get back as soon as you can?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die darling."

After having finished her meal Emma grabbed Elliot's collar and kissed him with great passion, so much so that he had to catch his balance after having surfaced for air.

"I love you Emma, I will send word when I start my journey back home to you, alright. Try and keep your chin up while I am gone, I hate to think you will be sad."

"I love you more Elliot, thank you for being so supportive through all of this by the way, I really appreciate it and don't know what I would ever do without you."

The young man left the dinning room quietly to go and get his things from her bedroom.

No sooner had he left then someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Ma'am."

Turning around in disbelief Emma beamed, "Jasper?-Jasper!"

She flung her arms around the older man whom squeaked in surprise, "Yes, ma'am its me."

"But how come-I thought you were in the sanctuary?"

"Yes, that's true, however after a while, though I love the place, I got a little bored seeing the same thing over and over, with nothing new going on, so I kindly told Hobson his service was no longer required and well, the rest is quiet self explanatory. I will go back to the sanctuary if and when you go on another adventure but for now, I am your butler once again.

"Glad to have you back Jasper missed you so much and Hobson seemed a bit to keen of the treasury…but that could just be me, I don't know."

Jasper nodded, "So I heard from a few others, but regardless, you do have an agenda, so go on and change into something more suitable then pajamas to see your people in. I have a few outfits already picked out for you in your chambers. Oh one last thing, some of your guard has switched around, a few of the old ones had some family issues they needed to be home for. So if you see someone unfamiliar to you, no need to worry."

Emna gave her butler and old time friend one last hug before she hurried to her room.


	3. Confliction

**Im back...and I don't know if everyone just hates the first chapter or they just didn't continue on because they thought I left...well after a few months..maybe more, I'm back, again. I had gotten a new job a few months ago which meant, two jobs (one WAS full time) and school, but now I have one job and thats it for now so I have more of a chance to write...please R&R it would make my day! Sorry to have kept you all waiting!**

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Emma stared at her melancholy reflection sighing, "why me? "

Shrugging her anger and sadness away the nineteen year old queen quickly went to change into her new outfit. She had a sizable amount of people to see that particular day and it was impolite to keep them all waiting.

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Walking into the throne room Emma put on as big of a smile as she could manage to show to her people. Sitting down on the throne, the queen motioned for her first audience to come forward.

An eerily familiar voice called out, "Now Ann Rosemary from the Coldwell Bakers shop."

Emma felt a chill run up her spine, that wasn't one of her normal guards, it must have been one of the new ones, but she knew that voice somehow, "You may speak."

Ann stepped forward and took her place in front of the queen, "Your majesty, I hate to bug you, when I know that many people have many other issues that are far more important but I simply do not have enough flour to keep up with all of my orders. Is it possible I could get more from you, anything would help, it would just be for the time being, honest your majesty."

Emma didn't even need time to think, she had actually been to the woman's shop and found her and her workers to be very pleasant and trustworthy.

Leaning forward the poor baker took a step back, afraid she may have over stepped her boundaries in asking of this favor.

The queen cleared her throat and for that very moment actually had a genuine smile on her face, it lasted only for the conversation that was taking place, but it was still a smile.

"Ann, no need to be so formal, really, my name is Emma, and I would be happy to help you for a while, your pastries are a delight and I couldn't bare seeing you or your busy get hurt, I will arrange for flour to be brought to your shop, but it will have to wait until tomorrow morning, is that fair?"

Ann Rosemary's eyes lit up, "oh your maje-Emma! Thank you so much! This means so much to me, I will repay you, honest."

So it went on like this for a few hours, unfortunately the giving queen did have to let a few people down here and there but for the most part it was a good day for her and her people, having the audiences actually distracted Emma until things got slower.

The queen began picking at one of her nails as her last audience left and the guard with the voice she knew spoke turning to her but not revealing a face, Your highness, pardon me for saying this, but you don't seem like yourself today, everything alright?

Wasn't he one of her new guards? They had never spoken before but even he knew she was acting out of her normal stature, "Yes, I am fine thank you very much, just lots going on in the old head, I'm sure you understand."

In fact, he did, the guard knew exactly what she was going through all the pain, sadness, and torment, Emma could see it in his expression but all the young woman got as a response was, "I see, well, good luck and feel better."

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Hours later Emma went toward her chambers to retire to bed however the person standing guard by her door caused a staggering halt. This man had his hat off, fixing his hair, for it was very itchy. It looked like one of her very dear friends whom had been gone for a long time. Short blonde hair, dazzling blue eyes, but as the young girl got closer to her guardsman she realized whom it really was.

"Joseph."

Without another word she slammed her bedroom door shut feeling her insides do some sort of dance if you will which she still couldn't make sense of. Why was she so fixated on seeing Ben Finn again, why was he in her head when it should be the love of her life Elliot.

He was, wasn't he? Shrugging these emotions off she bid Jasper a good night and without even bothering to change into her night gown, fell asleep, alone, on her king size bed, tears once again had started accumulating just before slumber overtook.


End file.
